A notorious firestarter caused more than £100,000 of damage in a spate of blazes in Wishaw.
Alan Beck’s targets included a base for offenders carrying out unpaid community work.
Beck, 45, who has previously set fire to houses, a nursing home and horse stables, is back behind bars after admitting three charges of wilful fireraising.
Hamilton Sheriff Court heard that he struck three times in the same area over a two-week period in November and December last year.
The first target was cabins owned by North Lanarkshire Council’s justice services team in the Carbarns area.
A week later police had to evacuate residents after a double garage at their home went up in flames. CCTV showed Beck at the scene.
Beck returned to the area seven days later and set fire to an outbuilding at a nearby house, causing extensive damage.
Rosemary O’Neill, prosecuting, said: “Police found a black glove in the vicinity of the third fire and this was linked to Beck.
“Officers saw him climbing through a fence into an open field. He was captured and stated ‘Why did it take you so long to catch me?'”
Since 2009, Beck has been handed jail sentences totalling 13 years for fire-raising.
He got 45 months for torching several houses in Cumbernauld then in 2012 received four and a half years for starting fires at another house, a golf club, stables and a nursing home.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard 43 elderly people were evacuated when Beck ignited curtains at Rannoch Lodge Nursing Home in Cumbernauld. Luckily, there were no casualties.
Beck was given another four and half years in 2018 for setting fire to a social worker’s car in Wishaw after being refused financial help.
Defence advocate Callum Hiller told the court that his client suffers from learning difficulties, has been unemployed most of his life and has no family support.
Sheriff Linda Nicolson deferred sentence until later this month for a criminal justice social work report and Beck was remanded in custody.
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